Absorbent articles which collect various exudates discharged from the body, such as diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, pantiliners, interlabial devices, incontinence pads, incontinence devices, tampons, and the like, are known in the art. These absorbent articles often include one or more colored regions, graphics, designs, and the like, sometimes referred to as visual signals. Sanitary napkins and incontinence pads, for example, sometimes include a visual signal which is proximal the central portion of the absorbent article and which differs in color from portions of the absorbent article remote from the central portion of the absorbent article. Such visual signal can be produced by printing (e.g., with ink) on or below the top surface of the absorbent article. Some absorbent articles have a visual signal that is printed on one layer underlying the topsheet and visible through the topsheet. By printing on a layer below the topsheet, such as a nonwoven web, the visual signal can be viewed through the topsheet to provide for a perception of depth within the absorbent article. Creating a perception of depth within the absorbent article can reassure a user, prior to use, that during use fluid will be drawn deep inside the product and away from a user's body.
These absorbent articles often comprise at least one low-basis-weight nonwoven web. There is a need to print visual signals on these webs. However, as the basis weight of nonwoven webs upon which ink is applied decreases, the likelihood of ink blow-through during the printing process increases. Ink blow-through can be undesirable, as it can detrimentally impact manufacturing-line hygiene as well as increase manufacturing costs due to wasted ink. Additionally, the perceived quality of a visual signal produced from an image printed onto a nonwoven web may also deteriorate as the basis weight of the nonwoven web is lowered. Therefore, it is desirable to add mass to these low basis weight webs prior to printing to reduce the likelihood of ink blow-through during the printing process. With these limitations in mind, there is a continuing unaddressed need for printing a quality visual signal on a relatively low-basis-weight nonwoven web. Further, there is a continuing unaddressed need for printing a visual signal on a relatively low-basis-weight web of material while maintaining a desired level of manufacturing line hygiene and cost effectiveness. These are all goals of the present invention; embodiments described herein may achieve various combinations of these goals. A particular embodiment may, but need not, embody every goal.